I walked 6 miles in these boots with complete comfort right after pulling them out of the box. I'll probably wear these boots everyday until May. They are great: warm, water/snow/nasty slush-proof, and stylish. I like my shoes snug, so I ordered the size corresponding to the exact measurement of my foot and found them a perfect fit. I am so estatic about these shoes, I'm trying to spring for a second pair just so I don't have to buy winter boots again for the next 5 years. Here's hoping The North Face keeps making them...

This coat is: warm, water/wind proof, good looking (its been in the teens with 20mph wind and rain/snow) It is an adequate fit-I would say slim, especially for and insulated coat, and have become comfortable in it even with my monkey-arms and football-player shoulders. If in doubt, order the next size up. I think the belt is a nice touch, but I'm not one to tie belts and keep the ends tucked into the pockets. I haven't noticed a conehead effect concerning the hood. I also seem to have a large cranium, and like big hoods. To counter the wind, I recommend pulling on a balaclava, the hair will get messed up anyway. The coat hits just below the knee, and the double zipper is very useful for being active. The pockets are good-sized for a women's coat, and it has little zippers at the cuffs to widen the ends of the sleeves. I find this helpful. As far as the color, New Taupe Plaid is really Army Green with a subtle black plaid worked in, so the coat looks like a nice olive color at first glance.